Corn-harvester.



J. LITTLE.

CORN HARVESTER.

APPJLIOATION FILED NOV. 1, 1909.

96 1 ,455 Patented June 14, 1-910.

' J. LITTLE. CORN HARVESTER. APPLICATION FILED Nov. 1, 1909.

Patented June 14, 1910.

3 SHEBTS-BHEBT 2.

J. LITTLE.

CORN HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1, 1909.

961 455 Patented. June 14, 1910.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

TINTTED %TATE% PATENT @FFTQE.

JESSE LITTLE, 0F BETHANY, MISSOURI.

COBN-HARVESTER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J nssn LITTLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bethany, in the county of Harrison and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Corn- Harvester, of which the following is a specification.

It is the object of this invention, generally, to provide adevice of the class above mentioned, which shall be inexpensive to manufacture, facile in operation, and devoid of complicated parts; specifically, the provision of a corn-husking machine adapted to strip the corn from the stalks, to prepare the ears of corn for husking, and to carry the ears to a separate compartment, in which the husking shall take place, ultimately delivering the husked ears at the front of the machine into a suitable receptacle. This operation is effected by a plurality of mechanisms hereinafter described, and it is the object of this invention to improve these several mechanisms, and to provide novel means for their operative connection, both with one another, and with a primary shaft, the primary shaft constituting at once, a means for supporting the device, and for actuating the several mechanisms whereby the function of the machine is consummated.

With these and other objects in view, which a perusal of this specification will reveal to those skilled in the art, the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, delineated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in that portion of this instrument wherein patentable novelty is claimed for certain distinctive features of the device, it being understood, that, within the scope of what hereinafter thus is claimed, divers changes in the form, pro portions, size, and minor details of the structure may be made, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to denote corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In the accompanying drawings,Figure 1 shows my invention in top plan, parts being removed in order to reveal the mechanism; Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section upon the line A-B of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side elevation; Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 1, 1909.

Patented June 14, 1910.

Serial No. 525,778.

5 is a vertical transverse section between the two compartments which constitute the body of the device; and Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse section through the delivery compartment.

The invention includes two box-like structures, the larger of which, denominated as the receiving compartment, is denoted by the numeral 1. Located to one side of the receiving compartment 1 is the smaller compartment 2, hereinafter referred to as the delivery compartment, the end walls 3 of the delivery compartment 2 being extended to form a connection between the two compartments. Extending transversely of the compartments 1 and 2 upon the under surface of the same, is a shaft 4, one end of which, as shown most clearly in Fig. 6, is mounted in a suitable bearing located upon the bottom of the delivery compartment 2. The bottom of the receiving compartment 1 is elevated above the bottom of the delivery compartment 2, and from the bottom of the receiving compartment 1, depends a bracket 5, shown most clearly in Fig. 2, the bracket 5 constituting a bearing in which is rotatably mounted the other end of the shaft 4, the shaft, at its extremities, being provided with traction wheels 6, which may be of any de sired construction, the traction wheels being secured to the shaft 4, to rotate therewith. The receiving-compartment 1 is closed by a lid 7, preferably hinged to swing vertically in the direction of the line of draft, the delivery compartment 2 being closed by a lid 8, preferably hinged to swing transversely of the line of draft, and carrying a seat 9.

Extending forwardly from the bottom of the receiving-compartment 1, are spaced separating bars 10, to the rear of which is journaled, in the sides of the receiving-compartment 1, a shaft 11, the ends of which are extended through the side walls of the receiving compartment 1. Secured to the shaft 11, and located within the receiving compartment 1, is a roller 12, carrying a plurality of fingers 14 adapted, when the shaft 11 is rotated, to strip the ears of corn from the stalks and to pass the ears rearwardly, the bars 10 serving to separate the stalks so that the fingers 14 may readily operate thereon. The shaft 11 and the roller which is carried thereby, are adapted to be operated by the shaft 4 it being noted that the end of the shaft 11 disposed between the section upon the line C-D of Fig. 1; Fig. l compartments 1 and 2, carries a sprocket wheel 16, over which extends a sprocket chain 15, which chain is passed about a sprocket wheel 17 adapted to be operatively connected by means of a clutch 18, of any desired construction, with the shaft 4, the clutch 18 being operated by a lever 19, fulcrumed, intermediate its ends, upon that face of the receiving compartment 1 which is adjacent the delivery compartment 2, the lever 19 being within the reach of the operator when he is occupying the seat 9.

Located within the receiving compartment 1, tothe rear of the roller 12,- is an upwardly inclined chute 20, along which the ears of corn are adapted to'be urged by the fingers 14 of the roller 12. This chute 20 overhangs a toothed roller 21, carried by the shaft 22,- journaled' for rotation in the side walls ofthe' receiving compartment 1, and terminally extended upon both sides of the receiving compartment, beyond the side walls thereof.- Spaced from the toothed roller 21*, and located at the extreme rear of the receiving compartment 1, is asimilarly constructedtoothed roller 23, carried by a shaft 24. The shafts 11, 22', and 24 carry, respectively,upon their terminals, sprocket wheels 25, 26 and:

27, a chain-belt 28- being passed about thesprocket wheels 25 and 27, the sprocket wheel 26 being located, as indicated in- Fig.

2, out of alinement with the sprocket wheels 25 and 27, so that one sideof the chain-belt 28 engages the sprocket wheel 26",- thereby giving to the toothed rollers 21 and 23, an opposite direction of rotation.

Located transversely of the receivingcompartment 1, between the toothed rollers 21 and 23,- is' a belt-conveyer 29,- one end of Which, as shown-most clearly in- Fig-.- 4, is carried by sprocket wheels30', mounted upon a shaft 31,-extend'i1i'g longitudinally of the receiving compartment 1 The other end of the belt-conveyer 29 is mounted upoir sprockets 32, carried by a shaft 33,- mounted for rotation in a troughdike structure34, which forms a connecting member between the receiving compartment 1 and the delivery compartment 2'. This shaft 33 is extended forwardly beyond the structure 34 inwhich it ismounted, and is operatively connected, by means of a beveled gear 35, with the inner end of the shaft 22 which carries the toothed roller 21.

Mounted transversely of the delivery compartment 2, are a plurality of husking rolls 36', which, if desired, may be provided with a covering 37, of rubber, or like resilient material. The shafts upon which the husking rolls 36 are mounted, are provided upon the exterior of the delivery compart' ment 2,- with intermeshing pinions 38. The shaft 40 upon which one of the rolls, denoted specifically by the numeral 39,- is mounted, is extended inwardly, between the receiving compartment 1 and the delivery compartment 2, and terminally provided with a sprocket wheel 41, which is located within the chain-belt 15, and operable there- The shaft 40 carries, adjacent the delivery compartment 2, a pinion 44 which is in mesh with a pinion 45, secured to the shaft 42 upon which the forward husking roll 47 is mounted, the end shaft 42 being extended beyond the pinion 38 which is mounted thereon, and provided,- in its extended portion, with a sprocket 43*, connected with a sprocket 49 by means ofa chainbelt 48'.

transversely through the delivery compartment 2, above the husking rolls 36. shaft 46 serves as a mounting, and as an actuating means, for a belt-conveyer'50, supported in suitable manner upon a shaft project the earsof corn into a box 52' which is supported upon a rack 54,- forwardly extending from the delivery compartment 2. The forward end of this rack 54 is provided with a rock-shaft 55,-bent at one end, to forman arm 56, adapted to engage a keeper 57, mounted upon one end of the box 52. It is obvious, of course, that when the' arm 56- is interlocked with the keeper 57, the box 52 will be held in place upon the rack 54, the rock-shaft 55 being manipulable to free the arm from the keeper, when desired. There may be several of the boxes 52, so that the same may be" changed, at the end of each row.

P'ivoted to the forward end of the delivery compartment 2, is a lever 58, provided with a suitable latch mechanism to hold the lever in any desired position, the lever 58 being assembled pivotal l y, with one end of a connecting element 59, a rod, chain, or the like, the other, forward end of the member 59 being connected with a tongue 60, pivotal' ly assembled with the forward end of the delivery compartment 2 and braced in the usual manner by hounds- 61.

The operation of the device is as follows :When the husking machine is drawn forward over the ground, the separating bars 10' will engage between them the corn stalks, and space the stalks apart. These stalks will then be engaged by the fingers 14 upon the roll 12, and spaced apart, the ears being stripped from the stalks by the fingers 14 and passed rearwardly, and urged The sprocket 49 is carried by one extremity of ashaft 46 which extends This up the' chute 20, tofall upon the rollers 21 and 23. These rollers will serve to loosen the husks upon the ears of corn and to inaugura'te the husking process. The rolls 21 and 23,- each rotating toward the belt-con veyer 29, will deposit the ears of corn, with their husks loosened, upon the belt-conveyer, and the belt-conveyer will carry the ears of corn from the receiving compartment 1 into the delivery compartment 2, and deposit them upon the husking rolls 36. These rolls 36, rotating in opposite directions in pairs, will strip the husks from the ears of corn, the resilient covering 37 upon the rolls, facilitating the husking operation. The beltconveyer 50 will carry the ears of corn forward, from one set of the husking rolls 36 to the other, and ultimately deposit the ears upon the chute 53, from which they fall into box 52. By manipulating the lever 19 to operate the clutch 18, the husking operation may be suspended at any time, and by manipulating the lever 58, the picker bars 10 may be elevated or depressed, as desired, to accommodate corn-stalks of different heights.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A device of the class described comprising a shaft; traction wheels thereon; a receiving compartment and a delivery compartment located side by side and supported upon the shaft; toothed rolls journaled in the receiving compartment; means operatively connecting the shaft with the rolls whereby the rolls are rotated in directions opposite to each other; husking rolls journaled in the delivery compartment and operable by the shaft; a belt-conveyer located transversely of the receiving compartment between the toothed rolls and operable by 1 one of said rolls, the belt-conveyer being arranged to discharge upon the husking rolls; and means operable by the shaft to strip the ears of corn from the stalks and to pass the ears to the toothed rolls.

2. A device of the class described comprising a shaft; traction wheels thereon; a receiving compartment and a delivery compartment located side by side and supported upon the shaft; toothed rolls journaled in the receiving compartment; means operatively connecting the shaft with the rolls to secure an opposite rotation of the latter; husking rolls j ournaled in the delivery compartment and operable by the shaft; a beltconveyer located transversely of the receiving compartment between the toothed rolls and operable by one of said rolls, the beltconveyer being arranged to discharge upon the husking rolls; and means operable by the shaft to strip the ears of corn from the stalks and to pass ears to the toothed rolls; and a belt-conveyer located in the delivery compartment above the husking rolls and operatively connected with said rolls.

3. A device of the class described comprising a shaft; traction wheels thereon; a receiving compartment and a delivery compartment located side by side and supported upon the shaft; a roll located in the receiving compartment and operable bythe shaft to strip the ears of corn from the stalks and to pass the ears rearwardly; toothed rolls journaled in the receiving compartment to the rear of the first named roll; a belt connecting one of the toothed rolls with the first named roll and arranged to engage the other toothed roll whereby the toothed rolls are rotated in a direction opposite to each other; husking rolls located within the delivery compartment and operable by the shaft; and a belt conveyer located in the receiving compartment between the toothed rolls and operable by one of said rolls, the conveyer being arranged to discharge upon the husking rolls.

4. A device of the class described comprising a shaft; traction wheels thereon; a receiving compartment and a delivery compartment located side by side and supported by the shaft; a roll located in the receiving compartment and operable by the shaft to strip the ears of corn from the stalks and to pass the ears rearwardly; toothed rolls journaled in the receiving compartment to the rear of the first named roll; a belt connecting one of the toothed rolls with the first named roll and arranged to engage the other toothed roll whereby the toothed rolls are rotated in directions opposite to each other; husking rolls located within the delivery compartment and operable by the shaft; a belt-conveyer located in the receiving-compartment between the toothed rolls and arranged to discharge upon the husking rolls; a shaft journaled for rotation between the compartments and forming a mounting for one end of the beltconveyer; and a beveled gear operatively connecting the last named shaft with one of the toothed rolls.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JESSE LITTLE.

Witnesses:

C. E. POLAND,

LENA POLAND. 

